Leicester City willing to smash club transfer record to sign Deportivo striker Lucas Perez

Newly-crowned English champions Leicester City are preparing a club record transfer bid for Deportivo La Coruna striker Lucas Perez, according to reports. Claudio Ranieri has already started planning for the Foxes' title defence next season and the prospect of a congested fixture list because of Champions League participation.

The Guardian says the Italian tactician wants Lucas, Deportivo's top scorer this season with 17 league goals, to provide competition to Jamie Vardy at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester's all-time club transfer record is the £10m ($14m) they paid to Brighton for Leonardo Ulloa in 2014. Lucas, 27, has a contract with Deportivo until 2019.

The Guardian adds the Foxes are also confident of completing a free transfer for Sporting Gijon centre-back Luis Hernandez, who will provide cover for Wes Morgan and Robert Huth next season.

Summer additions

Leicester were crowned English top-flight champions for the first time in their 132-year history on 7 May and are looking to bolster their squad in preparation for Champions League football next season. The Foxes have also been linked with a move for Italian striker Gianluca Lapadula, who plays for Pescara in Serie B, while Crystal Palace's Yannick Bolasie and Watford's Troy Deeney have been mooted as other potential targets.

Gianluca Lapadula has scored 24 goals in 38 league appearances for Pescara this campaignGetty Images

Ranieri has indicated that he would not target superstar signings in the summer and would instead stick to his strategy of unearthing talent at a cut price. "We don't need the superstars. I want to improve the squad without big stars, but the right players," the Italian was quoted as saying by Associated Press on 3 May.

"It is too early to say we need five, six, seven or eight players. If one of my players says to me I want to go... I try to keep him. I suggest to everybody this is a fantastic club."

Leicester end their season with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face last season's champions Chelsea on 15 May.